So i was walking back to my car after leaving the store last night and an elderly unkept gentleman said " do you got a dollar?" So i reached into my pocket and pulled out a 10$ bill. "Take that and be safe out here" i said. Over the years i've probably handed out over a hundred dollars just to panhandlers. A lot of people get pissed about panhandlers and call the police and some states now have laws that prohibit panhandling.

I have given money to them in the past. Not so much any more. Not because I don't want to help, but because most of them use it for booze and drugs. So now when I give them something it's usually a gift card for Mc Donald's or Wendy's. Bunker Love My Dream my latest stopry

I do it all the time. My husband gets pissed at me about it, but it's just something I feel strongly about doing. Every day charity, I suppose. And I know much of it goes to junk food at best, and beer or drugs at worst, but I always remember that people end up on the streets for many different reasons and due to many different circumstances. But virtually none of them just decided it would be fun or easy to beg for a living. It's never big money, and the most I've ever given was $20 (this was back when I had much more disposable income), but it's easily hundreds of dollars over the past three years.

One guy told me that when he gets on a good run he uses the money towards a motel room so that he can live like a normal person once in awhile. He admitted that he drinks once in a while as well. But if i wound up in that situation i would need a drink too so cant say that i blame him. But you do get these inhumanoids that spout the ''they're all lazy , dont wanna work, junkies,' crap.

I sometimes give. There are some people I don't give to, like the Romanians, simply because they make my ears bleed with the accordion they play all the time. It's terrible to listen to.

We used to have a law against begging, but after it got lifted we had a stream of Romanians that come here to the cities simply to beg or sell some crappy goods. Very often it's Gypsies that get blamed as the "perpetrators". I doubt I'll ever give money to them, simply because the only reason they're here is because they can get more money begging here than at home. That doesn't give me any sympathy for them at all. If they can afford the trip up her then surely that's enough to get them by back at home. So no, I rarely give. I'd rather give it to a non profit orginasation, like the Salvation Army that I know will use the money to help people.

And when people talk about how they're lazy and don't wanna work, I doubt they consider the fact that they have no home or place to freshen up and look presentable and don't have the clothes for it either, so basically the only job they can have is somewhere where they won't meet customers. "It's at that point you realise Lady Luck is actually a hooker, and you're fresh out of cash."

I give a few dollars now and then. I am usually driving to work and see them on street corners holding cardboard signs. There have a been a few times in my life when I wasn't too far from being in their position. I doubt it is laziness that put them where they are. They mave have problems with drugs and alcohol but I don't see how starving them to death would make the situation any better.

Joined: 10/21/2010Posts: 3,401Location: The wilder parts. , United States

I always think that it could be me begging for money so I give a few bucks. Nobody was born out in the street asking for handouts. Something went wrong somewhere along the line in their lives. Something could easily go wrong in mine as well. We're all in this together you know.

I often give them folding money. I never give them change; that would be demeaning. I really don't care why they are on the street.

I've been mighty close to begging myself, and know what it's like to go for a day or two without food. I didn't shoot and eat out of season squirrel, but I seriously considered it, and my mouth watered while I was thinking about it."There's only three tempos: slow, medium and fast. When you get between in the cracks, ain't nuthin' happenin'." Ben Webster

I was couch hopping or couch surfing before it had a name at one time in my life. I always try to give someone a few bucks.But, on the other hand, I saw a documentary one time on some panhandlers that parked their very expensive cars in parking garages, changing their clothes and sitting on the corners of very busy intersections and streets with signs about how down and out they were. Some of them claimed to be making in the high 5s and 6 figures in doing so. Of course that was in some of the larger cities in the US.

I was couch hopping or couch surfing before it had a name at one time in my life. I always try to give someone a few bucks.But, on the other hand, I saw a documentary one time on some panhandlers that parked their very expensive cars in parking garages, changing their clothes and sitting on the corners of very busy intersections and streets with signs about how down and out they were. Some of them claimed to be making in the high 5s and 6 figures in doing so. Of course that was in some of the larger cities in the US.

I don't. I used to, but now I think better of it. I always remember the old adage about giving a man a fish, versus teaching him to fish, and I realize that my ten bucks may buy him (or her) a cheap meal and some booze, and keep him comfortable for a day. Once the money runs out, so does his comfort. Now I give regularly to charities that take my money and operate shelters, offer rehab, counseling, and a chance for him to get off the street permanently. It just seems wiser to me.

I have given money to them in the past. Not so much any more. Not because I don't want to help, but because most of them use it for booze and drugs. So now when I give them something it's usually a gift card for Mc Donald's or Wendy's.

If we don't give them cash, they are bound to steal so as to get cash to get drugs.I personally know that most of the women in sex trade do it to fianance their needs for drugs.

I forgot to add in my first post on this topic that a thought that runs through my mind when I see a panhandler on the corner is "Would I give money if that was Jesus Christ standing on the corner?" Because I remember a verse from one of the Gospels where Jesus said "That you have done for the least of my brothers, you have done unto me."

On the same line of thought. I saw in the paper today charities are asking for help in serving and volunteering for this Thursday. Is anyone going to help out in their areas? I'll not be cooking this year so I thought it'd be a good idea to help those that need it.

It's like anything else. Some are professional con artist that make above average income going to other towns and doing that. Some are desperately needing help. Many are homeless, alcoholics, meth addicts, etc. I am no expert at telling the difference. The drug and alcohol addicts will take that money you give them and spend it all on drugs or alcohol. I volunteer at a homeless shelter & feeding program.You see a lot of eye opening things there. There are a shocking number of people with serious mental problems that live on the streets. Many refuse to live any other way.

Really? That means you've met and spent time with tens of millions of prostitutes. Oh the stories you must have!

Its not that I spent time with tons of sex trade girls (I prefer to use this phrase).My ex girl friend went over to drugs while living with me.I tried my best, for months, to pull her back.I failed but in the process mets hundreds of girls in sex trade and doing so to finance their drug needs.I personally don't smoke, though I did years ago.But we should sympathize with all those working in sex trade.

No, never money. Several years ago I had the pleasure of meeting a guy who'd spent several years living on the streets. He hitchhiked from coast to coast. According to Bubba (that really was his name), never give money to a man on the street. He said to only give them food or water, preferably food. Any person begging for food, will eat any food you give him if he's truly hungry. If you give food to a person who only wants to buy booze or drugs, he'll just throw the food away. The cost to you is the same either way. He also said that there is rampant violence and theft among panhandlers when money or alcohol/drugs are seen. A person truly hungry will eat whatever you give him as soon as he gets it.

A few years ago in my town, there was a man panhandling beneath a busy interstate overpass. He was a con artist and what eventually got him caught was his laziness. Good samaritans would give him a bottle of water, which he'd discard when they drove away. After a while the water bottles began piling up until there were over 200 unopened bottles of water on the ground behind the metal and concrete guardrails. People asked questions, reporters got involved and observed him at the end of his work day. Getting into his car and driving to a nice home in a nice neighborhood.

I've given food or water many times, but not money anymore.

When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser. Socrates

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